Golden Team

In the summer of 2016, the GRU hacked drug-test results from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and leaked onto the Internet confidential information about U.S. Olympic athletes, including tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams, and gold medal gymnast Simone Biles. WADA that year called out the Russian military agency for the information operation.

They leaked medical information and emails stolen from officials with 40 anti-doping and sporting organizations. In some instances, WADA documents were altered, officials said. In all, the GRU spies leaked the private data of 250 athletes from almost 30 countries, officials said.

As part of its disinformation effort, the operatives in some cases paired the leaks with posts and comments that parroted themes used by the Russian government to push back against the anti-doping agencies’ findings, officials said. Between 2016 and 2018 they also exchanged emails and private messages with some 186 reporters “to amplify the exposure and effect of their message,” the Justice Department said.